Another $50 NLHE Stars question???

[ClemsonAce]

Final table of Stars $50 NLHE, blinds 2000/4000

I have T55520 and I am dealt 9 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 10 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] in the BB.

Next five fold to the SB (who is the chip leader w/ T112546) and he raises 4000.
I call.
The flop is 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

I raise to 12000, he reraises to make it 36000.

I fold, not wanting to be eliminated since many of the other stacks will still be around the same as mine if I fold.

He shows K J.

Did I make the right move in folding or should I have pushed all in and hoped to double up. Difference in finishing 7 and 4 was $500 if that makes any difference.

I ended up finishing 4th and getting a pretty good pay day after a few others got knocked out.

All comments welcome.

Adam

[theBruiser500]

I don't understand the flop action... You raised to 12,000, does that mean he led out on the flop and you raised him, or he checkraised you?

danny

[M.B.E.]

These endgame questions can be interesting, but you have to provide more information about the stack sizes of the other players and the percentage payouts for 1st through 7th.

It seems that your opponent in the SB had you covered, but by a lot or a little? That's important because if you decide to move in, it will be a semibluff and it's more likely to be effective when your opponent will be crippled if he calls and loses.

Also as the other poster noted, your description of the flop action is unclear.

Anyway, by my count 16000 went in the pot preflop, probably more like 18000 including antes. You've got 47000 left.

When you see that flop you know that if your opponent happens to have a jack, you've got about a 37% chance of winning the pot if you stay in until the river. It's the same if he has TT/QQ/KK/AA. If he has a small pocket pair (other than 88 or 33 of course) or just middle pair like A8, your hand has 14 outs and is actually a small favourite -- but more important, he'll usually fold to your bet if that's all he has. That's assuming your opponent checked. You have to give serious consideration to betting here. The only reason not to bet would be if there's a couple of small stacks close to being blinded out -- in that case, you'd rather save your chips since you have a good chance of squeaking into fifth place, whereas if you play on this hand and lose it, you'll finish seventh.

If your opponent bet out on the flop, the decision is more difficult and depends on the chip positions of other players in the hand. It also depends on how much he bet.

All that being said, when you have an openended straight draw on a flop like this, you really should not put in 25% of your stack (12000) and then fold to a raise. Your hand just has too many outs for that.